Automated Tape Libraries Are New SDLT Groupies!"It's super!", they cheer, "what took you so long?" Following hard on the heels of IBM's announcement of LTO (Linear Tape Open) A family of open magnetic tape standards developed by HP, IBM and Quantum (formerly the Certance subsidiary of Seagate) that are licensed to third-party vendors. LTO cartridges contain a memory that stores historical usage data. Ultrium shipments, Quantum Corporation's DLT (Digital Linear Tape) A magnetic tape technology originally developed by Digital for its VAX line. The technology was later sold to Quantum, which makes it available to other manufacturers. DLT uses half-inch, single-hub cartridges similar to IBM's 3480/3490/3590 line. & Storage Systems Group announced long-awaited shipments of its next-generation Super DLTtape drives into automated tape library OEMs. Based upon the DLTtape technology platform acquired some years ago from Digital Equipment Corporation, Super DLTtape is expected to deliver improved performance and reliability that customers can depend upon to exceed their demanding data storage protection and archiving needs. "As leaders in the tape storage industry and providers of a proven technology, we proudly offer Super DLTtape technology--a next-generation product that is designed to deliver significant advances over previous DLTtape drives in terms of capacity and performance, while continuing to maintain unsurpassed reliability," said William Boles, vice president, marketing for Quantum DLTtape. "The support and collaboration that Quantum is receiving from leading library automation vendors and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) The rebranding of equipment and selling it. The term initially referred to the company that made the products (the "original" manufacturer), but eventually became widely used to refer to the organization that buys the products and partners further strengthens Super DLTtape as the tape backup Using magnetic tape for storing duplicate copies of hard disk files. Users can add an internal or external tape drive to their desktop computers for backup purposes, and files are typically copied to the tapes using a backup utility that updates on a periodic schedule. of choice for midrange systems." "The tape storage industry has eagerly anticipated Quantum's shipping its first-generation Super DLTtape units," said Robert Abraham Robert Abraham (born July 13, 1960 in Myrtle Beach, SC) was an American football player who was a linebacker for the Houston Oilers. of Freeman Reports A series of technical reports on data storage devices originally developed by Freeman Associates, Inc., Santa Barbara, CA (www.freemaninc.com). For more than two decades, they provided exhaustive detail about the disk and tape industry, including up-to-date data on technology, capacities, . "It is very significant that this major milestone is achieved with support from the leading system and automated tape library companies, including ADIC, ATL (Active Template Library) A set of software routines from Microsoft that provide the basic framework for creating ActiveX and COM objects. Stemming from the standard template library (STL) that comes with C++ compilers, ATL includes an object wizard that sets up , and Overland Data." The individual drives offer 110GB per cartridge in native mode. Transfer rate is speced at 11MB/sec. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Phil Treide at Quantum, the drive will run on Ultra2 SCSI See Ultra SCSI. as well as a 40MB LVD See LVDS. LVD - Low Voltage Differential iteration. He notes that the drive is designed for both standalone and automation applications. The drives have been tested at 250,000 cycles of load/unload. Late To Market Like the new release of LTO, Super DLTape is late to market in the view of many industry observers. Many believe that the current strong selling position of existing DLT products produced something of a complacency that slowed the product's introduction. Treide pointed out that the Super DLTape is not an iterative it·er·a·tive adj. 1. Characterized by or involving repetition, recurrence, reiteration, or repetitiousness. 2. Grammar Frequentative. Noun 1. product; the design was reworked from the ground up. Several new technologies, including a pivotal optical servo, PRML (Partial Response Maximum Likelihood) A technique used to differentiate a valid signal from noise by measuring the rate of change at various intervals of the rising waveform. read channel changes and others required longer lead times to qualify and perfect before shipping into general availability. Although Super DLTtape technology offers backward-read compatibility with the existing DLTtape product family and Benchmark DLT1, this new product release is not a backward compatible Refers to hardware or software that is compatible with earlier versions of the product. Also called "downward compatible." Contrast with forward compatible. backward compatible - backward compatibility version. Triede indicated that the fully backward-read compatible version would be available later in the quarter. Like currently available DLTtape drives, Super DLTtape is expected to support all major systems and platforms, including Unix, Linux, Netware, Windows NT (Windows New Technology) A 32-bit operating system from Microsoft for Intel x86 CPUs. NT is the core technology in Windows 2000 and Windows XP (see Windows). Available in separate client and server versions, it includes built-in networking and preemptive multitasking. and Mac OS. Tandberg Data Tandberg Data (OSE: TAD) is a company focused on data storage products, especially streamers, headquartered in Oslo, Norway. They are the only company still selling drives that use the QIC format (also known as SLR), but also produce VXA, LTO and DLT products, along with will act as second source for Super DLTape, according to a spokesperson. Shipping Into Automation Several key automation vendors, including Storage Technology Corporation are receiving drives to integrate into full-featured automated tape library products. Several companies announced involvement on the day Quantum made its announcement. Advanced Digital Equipment Corporation, Overland Data, Inc. and Quantum/ATL are among the first library automation suppliers to receive Super DLTtape drives. In a prepared statement, Steve Richardson at Overland Data said: "Overland has been directly involved from the initial testing of Super DLTtape technology. We have witnessed the high capacity, reliability and compatibility of Super DLTtape that our customers are demanding. We are committed to combining this breakthrough technology with our... line of automated libraries to deliver to our customers what we believe will be the industry's most dependable solution." "Today's data-driven economy has spurred the necessity for a data storage and archiving solution that offers breakthrough levels of performance, capacity and reliability," said Kevin Honeycutt, at ADIC. "Super DLTrape represents an opportunity for us to continue to deliver products that boast unprecedented quality and reliability to our customers." At ATL Products, a subsidiary of Quantum, Gary Brinkman observed: "As data storage demands continue to skyrocket, high performance, increased capacity and rock-solid reliability are the hallmarks of what our customers expect from us and the DLTtape platform. The combination of Super DLTtape and our...libraries offer an...enterprise solution that delivers upon the expectations of our customers." In addition, Compaq Corporation, a long-time Quantum OEM business partner, has received Super DLTtape units destined des·tine tr.v. des·tined, des·tin·ing, des·tines 1. To determine beforehand; preordain: a foolish scheme destined to fail; a film destined to become a classic. 2. for key Compaq customers as part of Quantum's Customer Engagement Program (CEP CEP congenital erythropoietic porphyria. CEP abbr. congenital erythropoietic porphyria )--an initiative that involves OEM and library partners in the product development cycle from concept to delivery Rusty Smith Rusty Smith (born August 27, 1979) is a short track speed skater from the United States who won bronze in the 500m at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and another bronze in the 5000m relay at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. with Compaq's storage organization said "Compaq's participation in Quantum's Customer Engagement Program has enabled us to be a part of the development process of Super DLTtape to help ensure that the high standards and needs of all our customers are met. Based upon a proven technology known for high performance and reliability, Super DLTtape along with Compaq's leading automation technology, enables Compaq to deliver cost-effective data storage solutions to our customers." Super DLTtape is expected to follow the same path that has made DLT technology the remarkable success it is in the midrange space. The new technologies, such as the optical servo and the improved PRML error correction support applications from the workgroup on up, according to the company. The technology provides capacity and transfer rates targeted to the workgroup, mid-range and enterprise backup and archival markets. For workgroup and departmental servers, the Super DLTtape drive will deliver a capacity of 80GB and a transfer rate of 8MB/sec. The mid-range market including large corporate departments and mid-size automated libraries will see a drive with a capacity of 110GB and transfer rate of 11MB/sec. In response to high performance enterprise needs, Quantum will also offer a Super DLTtape drive, with a transfer rate of greater than 16MB/sec. (All specifications stated are in native mode). Maxell First Media To Qualify In a related announcement, Maxell, well-known manufacturer of tape media, has qualified Super DLTtape I media and is currently shipping cartridges to Quantum. Super DLTtape I media utilizes the Advanced Metal Particle (AMP) formulation to provide high recording density and to increase media capacity. Super DLTtape I media also incorporates a revolutionary back coating that contains optical servo tracks. By implementing optical servo tracks on the backside of the media, customers use the entire magnetic surface of the media for recording data. The new Super DLTtape cartridge also has a more rugged cartridge design and is equipped with special structural features to enhance resistance to physical damage. Super DLTtape I also features a new buckling link that provides a strong, positive engagement with Super DLTtape drives. "Our commitment and dedication to the development and manufacture of Super DLTtape I cartridges and media is a reinforcement of our longstanding relationship with and belief in Quantum," said Tom Taniguchi with Maxell's Recording Media Business Group. "We are confident that this advanced technology will far surpass the great successes of our previous endeavors in media production." Maxell is the first media supplier to qualify and will begin production of Super DLTtape I media. At press time, Quantum was qualifying several additional suppliers of Super DLTtape I media. Editor's Note Editor's Note (foaled in 1993 in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred Stallion racehorse. He was sired by 1992 U.S. Champion 2 YO Colt Forty Niner, who in turn was a son of Champion sire Mr. Prospector and out of the mare, Beware Of The Cat. Trained by D. : A listing of Super DLT vendors can be found at www.wwpi.com. This article marks the first in a continuing series Mark Ferelli will be writing about Super DLT. Look for others in upcoming issues. |
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